Saturday, September 10, 2011

Hands that Serve our Savior

In the course of your marriage have you ever been tempted to feel just a little sorry for yourself? Have you thought if others truly knew the stress or frustrations you endure with your spouse, how they would surely pity you? Maybe encourage you to escape so that you could find someone more compatible? Or perhaps you've considered ending your marriage because expectations weren't met and your relationship has only been fraught with disappointments.

Would you be willing to marry a quadriplegic spouse and covenant before God to love them in sickness and in health? That's what Ken Tada did when he married Joni Eareckson Tada nearly 30 years ago. And he has never regretted this decision. This evening I picked up the October issue of Tabletalk Magazine and read an article written by Ken Tada. This article is entitled "Caregiving: a Cause for Christ." Here is an excerpt:

"Perhaps . . . the secret to good caregiving [is] a constant awareness of one's desperate need of Jesus Christ and a steady reliance on Him day in and day out, like breathing in and breathing out. The fact is that when I'm serving Joni, I'm serving Christ, for Colossians 3:23 reminds every caregiver, no matter how difficult or demanding the routines: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." When my focus is on Jesus Christ, caregiving may feel extremely tiring, but the work doesn't have to be tiresome. It's for Him. I may get weary, but life doesn't have to be wearisome-again, it's all for Him and His glory."

Aren't these encouraging words from someone who has every "right" to complain about his lot in life? I pray that as I have opportunity to minister to others as a caregiver, from my daughter to the elderly, that I will keep this in mind and treat them as I would treat my Savior. May these hands willingly and tenderly serve my Savior through serving others. Caregiving is a full-time ministry.

Ken ends his article with this verse:

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

3 comments:

Encouraging post and scripture. It is by the grace of God that we can do any good work onto Him by serving and loving others, and Ken (and Joni too of course)is such a strong example of God's great grace at work in him. Thanks for sharing.

I'm too often tempted to feel sorry for myself when life just doesn't seem fair. Not only are there others suffering much more than I am, but there is One who suffered more than we can ever imagine. If Job shouldn't complain, then neither should I.

About Me

I'm a full-time mother to little Abigail and a wife to Jeff. God has a sense of humor and He recently moved us to a small town in north-central Kansas.
I love to volunteer, find great bargains, study God's Word, cycle, hike, camp and take photographs.
This blog is primarily made up of sermons to myself. I need daily reminders of God's goodness and grace.
(H.E.R. would be my initials, in case you haven't figured that out)